The closed Kirkbride Building at the old Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital in Parsippany.2010 Star-Ledger file photo

PARSIPPANY — The state is planning to demolish the historic main building at the closed Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital in Parsippany.

A spokesman for the Department of the Treasury said Friday that officials came to that conclusion after receiving six "expressions of interest" submitted by groups interested in redeveloping the 678,000-square-foot Kirkbride Building, constructed in 1876 and closed in 2008 when a new, modern hospital opened nearby.

All of those plans would involve "some state aid or subsidy," and the state has no money allocated for the project, the Treasury spokesman, Bill Quinn, said.

Although there is a federal historic tax credit, there is no state historic credit; several of the proposals depend on the state adopting such a credit, he said.

Officials are targeting February or March for the demolition, Quinn said, but that schedule "is not locked in stone."

The state must first seek bids for the work and would also have to "remediate" the site, removing asbestos, lead-based paint and other hazardous materials. Quinn said 60 vacant buildings and structures at the "old" Greystone site are to be torn down.

Also, he said, state officials will be meeting soon with leaders of Preserve Greystone, a group dedicated to fixing up and redeveloping the Kirkbride Building, to "see what their concerns are" and find out if members have any financially viable ideas before the state moves forward with the demolition plans.

Adam McGovern, a trustee of Preserve Greystone, said the state "is moving too fast" and should review the expressions of interest more closely, with input from the public and state historic officials.

The state received the expressions of interest at the end of May, but didn’t release them to the public until Friday.

Four of the six plans came from "legitimate players in terms of high finance," said McGovern, whose group was in contact with some of the companies. "There is certainly a range of good possibilities here."

A consultant’s report completed for the Treasury Department, released in April, found no financially "feasible" way to redevelop the Kirkbride Building.

It estimated the cost of renovating the building as between $110 million and $125 million and said there would be a funding "gap" ranging from $11.1 million to $25.8 million for any of three alternatives that would involve apartments, condominiums or a combination of housing and office space.

But at the same time, the state issued a request for the expressions of interest from private groups to see if anyone had an idea that would work financially.

The expressions of interest were merely preliminary ideas and the state should issue a formal "request for proposals" before moving forward, McGovern said, calling the Kirkbride Building "a public heirloom."

Preserve Greystone members say the building should be saved as a mental health museum that could also generate revenue with housing and offices.

• Auto Mart of Morgantown, W.Va., which proposes to start "a comprehensive historic/paranormal tour program," a museum and a "vast complex that can attract hotel chains, condominiums, restaurants, shops and civic organizations." Auto Mart said it already has a similar operation in place at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum, another closed hospital in West Virginia that was also designed by Thomas Story Kirkbride.

• Cross Properties, of Philadelphia, which proposes an apartment-style complex that would include assisted living and a "large event space" in the chapel and assembly room that could produce revenue. Cross’ website says it has developed more than 5 million square feet of multi-family and commercial space.

• Forest City of Cleveland, which proposes a "high-end residential complex that can bring new life to this historic structure." Forest City cites previous public-private partnerships "readapting" buildings in Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and other cities, and lists the Barclays Center in Brooklyn in its portfolio.

• Greystone Community Innovation Team, based in Basking Ridge, which proposes a "21st century village" featuring housing along with businesses, hospitality, educational facilities, farm-to-table agriculture and a museum. The company says it has experience with 60 other major projects that have included other Kirkbride buildings and historic facilities.

• Building & Land Technology of Stamford, Conn., which proposes a combination of rental units, townhouses and commercial and office space. The company says it has a record of projects that are larger than Greystone, including the 2 million-square-foot Beacon complex in Jersey City.

• Green Center Acres, a New Jersey company that says it builds "sustainable communities and educational centers." For Greystone, it proposes a multi-faceted business center including agriculture, renewable energy, tourism, recreation and education featuring a culinary school and restaurant. A museum and various community outreach programs would also be located there.